Ray, who formerly served as chief operating officer (COO) at Piedmont Hospital for four years, will be replacing Mike Robertson. Robertson has accepted a position as CEO of Piedmont Healthcare’s South Region, a collaboration among Piedmont’s three hospitals on the south side of Atlanta, where he will be responsible for connecting the strategy and operation of the hospitals located in Henry, Coweta and Fayette counties.

“Denise is very well-suited to pilot this new role and the administration/physician co-management model we’re establishing,” said Tim Stack, president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “She is a proven leader with extensive operational experience and knowledge of Piedmont.”

As COO of Piedmont Hospital, Ray achieved $13 million in cost savings over three years through supply cost reductions, led the development of a central admissions/transfers/bed control hub to improve service coordination and integrated radiology and laboratory to improve safety, quality and efficiency.

In her new role, Ray will partner with Piedmont Mountainside Hospital’s newly-appointed Chief Medical Offer Folsom “Sonny” Proctor, M.D. to share responsibility of administrative, operational and clinical functions. Dr. Proctor, who recently served as vice president of medical affairs at Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, has been with the organization since February 2011.

Piedmont Healthcare creates South Region

Atlanta, Ga. (June 19, 2012) – Piedmont Healthcare announced today the creation of South Region, a collaboration between the three Piedmont-affiliated hospitals on the south side of Atlanta -- Piedmont Fayette Hospital, Piedmont Newnan Hospital and Piedmont Henry Hospital. The purpose of the new structure is to enhance collaboration on patient safety agendas, increase integration of clinical services where possible and inspire engagement between employees across the system.

Piedmont Healthcare’s new South Region will be led by Mike Robertson, current president and chief executive officer (CEO) of Piedmont Mountainside Hospital, and Jim Sams, M.D., current medical director of primary care for Piedmont Physicians Group. Effective July 1, they will serve as CEO and chief medical officer of Piedmont Healthcare’s South Region, respectively.

Robertson, who joined Piedmont Mountainside Hospital in 2002, will be responsible for connecting the strategy and operation of the three hospitals located south of Atlanta in Henry, Coweta and Fayette counties. Dr. Sams will coordinate the medical staffs between the hospitals and will create a system of collaboration on staff, quality and safety issues between the hospitals and community-based practices.

“The purpose behind the development of South Region is to redesign the current care model and strategic cost transformation by integrating and coordinating efforts among our hospitals on the south side of Atlanta,” said Tim Stack, president and CEO of Piedmont Healthcare. “Under this new co-management model, our hospitals will benefit from a powerful administrator/physician team with a primary focus on the issues that drive our success in those communities.”

The administrative/physician team leaders at the hospitals reporting to Mike Robertson and Dr. Sams are:

Piedmont Fayette Hospital -- Current President and CEO Darrell Cutts announced he will retire July 9, 2012, after 36 years of service with Piedmont. Michael Burnett, who has served as Piedmont Fayette Hospital’s chief operating officer since 2008, will assume the title of president and chief administrative officer after Cutts’ retirement in July. Piedmont Fayette Hospital Vice President of Medical Affairs Frederick Willms, M.D., has been named chief medical officer for the hospital.

“It’s hard to imagine the South Region without Darrell’s presence and wit,” said Stack. “He’s been with Piedmont for 36 years first as vice president of patient services at Piedmont Hospital and then as Piedmont Fayette’s leader since it opened in 1997. He’s done a tremendous job building that hospital into what it is today.”

Piedmont Newnan Hospital -- Michael Bass, residing president and CEO, will continue in his existing role; Vice President of Medical Affairs Jeff Folk, M.D., has been named chief medical officer.

Piedmont Henry Hospital -- Charles Scott residing president and CEO, also will continue in his existing role; Vice President of Medical Affairs Jagdeep Singh, M.D., has been named chief medical officer.